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Engadget giveaway: win a 3TB My Passport Ultra courtesy of WD!
Digital photo, movie and music collections may have been growing over the years, but luckily hard drive capacity is keeping pace, albeit in increasingly smaller packages. Western Digital recently launched its most capacious My Passport Ultra drive yet, boasting 3TB of storage in an array of colorful shells. You can keep your files at the ready with the safety of 256-bit hardware-based data encryption and USB 3.0 transfer rates of up to 5 Gb/s. Using WD Backup, you can also set up scalable automatic backups of desktop folders and files to the portable drive or fling them to the cloud for safe keeping. WD has provided us with a trio of these devices this week so three lucky Engadget readers can try to stuff them full of data. As usual, just head on down to the Rafflecopter widget for up to three chances at winning one these 3TB My Passport Ultra drives from WD. Winners: congratulations to Kris W. of Russellville, AR; Benjamin R. of Brooklyn, NY and Saul Q. of Ansonia, CT.
Which portable hard drives are worth buying?
With all our computers, phones and cameras, we create a lot of data. And while there are plenty of cloud-based options for storing all the information you generate, many people prefer something they can physically touch. A portable hard drive can give you plenty of control, while still making it possible to carry your data around in your bag. But which drives make it easy to transfer files to them in the first place? And which ones will survive the trips you take them on? We've taken a look at some of the better portable drives available now to find out which ones have the right stuff.
Backblaze stats show most/least reliable hard drives: Hitachi leads the pack with lowest annual failure rate
Online backup firm Backblaze has a lot of consumer-grade hard disk drives spinning away in their open-source Backblaze Storage Pods -- 27,134 at the end of 2013, to be exact. Over the past several months they've been providing us with statistics generated by keeping an eye on all of those drives. First they told us how long a hard disk drive should last, followed by some info on whether or not those pricey enterprise-grade drives really last longer than cheap consumer-grade drives. Now they're back with a blog post on what company makes the most reliable hard drives. With the caveat that these are consumer-grade drives being used in a very high-vibration environment under stressful conditions, Backblaze's Brian Beach noted that they've excluded the Western Digital Green 3 TB and Seagate LP (low power) 2 TB drives. These drives tend to spin down when not in use and then spin right back up, which causes a lot of wear and tear and a high failure rate in the Backblaze environment. It's not that they're bad drives -- they're just not suited for the high-stress environment of a storage farm. As you can see in the graphic at the top of this post (taken from the Backblaze study), Hitachi drives tend to have the lowest annual failure rates for Backblaze, followed by Western Digital drives. Seagate drives have a much higher failure rate, although the larger 3 and 4 TB drives tend to be more reliable than the 1.5 TB model. Of the 1.5 TB Seagate drives, the Barracuda LP is the most reliable, but the Barracuda Green drives are -- to quote Beach -- "dropping like flies." Beach notes that "if the price were right, we would be buying nothing but Hitachi drives. They have been rock solid, and have had a remarkably low failure rate." I've always been a fan of Western Digital drives, so I was happy to see that they also tend to be survivors in the Backblaze world. You can see the relative survival rates for Hitachi, Western Digital and Seagate drives in the graphic at the bottom of this post. For a more detailed look, be sure to read Beach's blog post over on the Backblaze site.
Join us at Engadget Live in San Francisco this Thursday!
While December brings no shortage of events to attend in the City by the Bay, we're hosting one of our own, minus the mistletoe. This Thursday, we're bringing Engadget Live to Temple Nightclub in the heart of San Francisco. Engadget Live is a casual gathering that brings gadget lovers and tech brands together under one roof. We'll have some of the biggest names in technology on hand for you to interact with, including Nokia, Slingbox, TiVo, Gogo and many more. Western Digital is even bringing its Creative Masters, Mikel Paris, to perform throughout the night. Since we'll be at a nightclub, we're setting up a few themed lounges for you to explore. In one, our friends from the CEA (who put on that little shindig in Vegas called CES) will show off the latest in UHD TVs. In another, Chevrolet will help you #FindNewRoads. And in yet another, Sony will be on hand and letting you go hands-on with the PS4. The best part about Engadget Live is the cover charge: $0. Temple is close to BART and Caltrain, so getting there from any part of the Bay Area should be simple. Grab your ticket here and we'll see you there on Thursday night beginning at 7:00 PM.
Daily Update for November 27, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Western Digital SmartWare software update addresses data loss bug
Western Digital updated its WD SmartWare Macintosh software on Monday to version 1.3.6. This version is compatible with OS X 10.9, 10.8, 10.7, 10.6 and 10.5. When you download and install this new version, it automatically uninstalls the old version. The update addresses a nefarious rare issue in which WD Drive Manager, WD Raid Manager and WD SmartWare software applications may cause data loss or cause a "repartition and reformat of their Direct Attached Storage (DAS) devices without customer acknowledgement." On its community board, Western Digital wrote on November 6 that, "A specific set of conditions and timing sequences between the OS and the WD software utilities has to occur to cause this issue." No other bug fixes were listed in the WD SmartWare v1.3.6 Release Notes. Background In late October, Western Digital advised customers via email and their community pages to uninstall their WD Drive Manager, WD Raid Manager and WD SmartWare software applications before upgrading to OS X Mavericks (10.9). Western Digital also advised customers who had already installed OS X 10.9 to remove those programs due to reports of data loss or a reformat or repartition of direct-attached storage (DAS) without customer intervention. Related Story on TUAW Western Digital warns customers of Mavericks external hard drive data loss issue. [via Macintouch]
Join us for Engadget Live in San Francisco on December 5th!
Having just wrapped up Engadget Expand New York earlier this month, and with CES fast approaching, you'd think our Events team would take a breather. Fortunately for those of you in the City By the Bay, we can't stop ourselves from putting on a show! On December 5th, we're heading to Temple Nightclub in San Francisco for Engadget Live (formerly known as Engadget + gdgt Live). While we may have a new name for the event, we'll be celebrating the 5th anniversary of the first gdgt Meetup taking place right there in San Francisco. Engadget Live is a unique event that isn't a conference or tradeshow -- it's designed to bring gadget lovers and tech brands together in a fun environment where they can get to know each other a little better. Best of all, it's free! We'll also have plenty of incredible tech brands at Engadget Live ready to show you their newest products and get your feedback on the spot. Speaking of products, we'll also have tons of great swag and chances to win some amazing gear. Just look out for the flyer at the door to find out how to win. Since music is a key part of the vibe in San Francisco, our friends at Western Digital are bringing its Creative Masters friend Mikel Paris to perform throughout the night. Did we mention the event is FREE? Grab a ticket and don't be shy about passing on the good word to your friends. One more thing: If you want to be a part of the behind-the-scenes action at Engadget Live, we could use a few volunteers at the event. To learn more and to apply, head over to the volunteer form.
gdgt's best deals for November 4th: 55-inch Panasonic 3D HDTV, 1TB Western Digital My Passport Ultra
Ready to save some cash on your tech buys? Then you've come to the right place. Our friends at sister site gdgt track price drops on thousands of products every day, and twice a week they feature some of the best deals they've found right here. But act fast! Many of these are limited-time offers, and won't last long. Whether the start of November has you searching for a new HDTV, file repository, home theater upgrade or a weapon for that MMO arsenal, we've got you covered. A 55-inch 3D TV from Panasonic and Klipsch floor-standing speakers are poised to improve movie watching while a pair of other useful gadgets see attractive price drops of their own. Join gdgt and add the gadgets you're shopping for to your "Want" list; every time there's a price cut, you'll get an email alert!
Western Digital warns customers of Mavericks external hard drive data loss issue
Western Digital has sent an email to customers warning them that they could see data loss issues if they are using WD Drive Manager, WD Raid Manager and WD SmartWare software applications with Western Digital hard drives on Macs running OS X 10.9 Mavericks. The email reads: Dear WD Registered Customer, As a valued WD customer we want to make you aware of new reports of Western Digital and other external HDD products experiencing data loss when updating to Apple's OS X Mavericks (10.9). WD is urgently investigating these reports and the possible connection to the WD Drive Manager, WD Raid Manager and WD SmartWare software applications. Until the issue is understood and the cause identified, WD strongly urges our customers to uninstall these software applications before updating to OS X Mavericks (10.9), or delay upgrading. If you have already upgraded to Mavericks, WD recommends that you remove these applications and restart your computer. The WD Drive Manager, WD Raid Manager, and WD SmartWare software applications are not new and have been available from WD for many years, however solely as a precaution WD has removed these applications from our website as we investigate this issue. Sincerely, Western Digital As noted in the email, users of Western Digital hard drives should uninstall WD Drive Manager, WD Raid Manager and WD SmartWare from their systems before updating to Mavericks, and if they have already updated, they should delete the apps and restart their systems.
WD announces My Cloud, an external drive that connects to your home network for $150 (video)
Sure, there are plenty of physical storage options out there, but WD's new My Cloud does a little more than the traditional external hard drives. For starters, and as the name would suggest, My Cloud can connect to your own home (or office) network and allow you to wirelessly transfer files to and from it. What's more interesting here, however, is that WD's making it easy to access the plug-and-play device from anywhere -- for example, you can be in a completely different continent and still be able to upload / download files. There's also a USB 3.0 which acts as an expansion option, Gigabit Ethernet for wired connectivity, DLNA features and an undisclosed dual-core CPU to handle most of the load. Better yet, because it's a local network drive, there's no need to format it for Mac or Windows, making it compatible with both from the get-go and leaving out the need for any unwanted software. To manage things like users, storage space and advanced settings, Western Digital has introduced the companion My Cloud Dashboard, which can be accessed via a desktop application. On the mobile side, there are apps for iOS and Android that allow users to upload photos, videos, documents and other type of files, as well as integrate with cloud services including Google Drive, SkyDrive and Dropbox. The WD My Cloud is now available starting at $150 for the 2TB model, while the beefier 3TB and 4TB variants are priced at $180 and $250, respectively.
Western Digital ships 7mm WD Blue, world's thinnest 1TB hard drive
Move over, Seagate -- there's a new sheriff in slimtown. Not content to introduce the first 5mm thick 500GB HDD, Western Digital just announced that it's shipping the world's thinnest 1TB hard drive, the 7mm WD Blue. It features StableTrack which secures the motor shaft at both ends to reduce vibration and improve tracking, plus dual-stage actuators -- electromagnetic for coarse displacement and piezo for fine movement. SecurePark keeps the heads clear of the disk surface and increases shock resistance. It's the same HDD we caught in prototype form at IDF 2012 and we reckon the 7mm WD Black (hybrid) version we saw at CES 2013 can't be far behind. The 1TB model (WD10SPCXX) is priced at $139 with a two year warranty and is available to OEMs, integrators and consumers right now. We fully expect this drive to appear in one of the laptops / tablets launching at Computex this week, so don't miss our coverage.
Western Digital ships upcoming WD Black hybrid drives to OEMs
As devices get thinner and thinner, there's no place in the world for chunky hard drives, and to that end Western Digital has been talking about bringing ultra-thin 5mm hybrid drive technology to the market. We just got a look at the new drives here at CES, which will be branded WD Black -- two 2.5-inch models consisting of a 500GB, 5mm thick (or thin) unit with 24GB of NAND memory, along with a 1TB, 7mm drive that also has 24GB of NAND. A spokesperson said that NAND could eventually go up to 32GB. There's no performance figures or pricing available yet, but WD has already started shipping copies of the new models to OEMs, and expects that they'll land in the laps of consumers within the next 6 months. %Gallery-175646%
Western Digital offers 8TB version of its My Book Live Duo NAS
Western Digital is mightily proud of its new 4TB hard drives, so it shouldn't be a surprise to see them winding up in the company's range of external storage products. The latest to get the spec bump is the My Book Live Duo, the dual-drive RAID box that promises to keep your memories safe should the worst happen. The range-topping 8TB edition will set you back $660, but if your credit card isn't that elastic, you can snag a 6TB unit for $440 and a 4TB box for $375.
Western Digital boosts entire MyBook Studio line with USB 3.0, adds 4TB model to the mix
After bumping its Thunderbolt and regular MyBook line with a couple of extra terabytes, Western Digital turned its attention to its shiny MyBook Studio offerings to kick those up a notch too. WD's family of premium aluminum-clad drives finally gets USB 3.0 across the line, along with a new top-of-the-pack 4TB capacity model. All the Studio drives feature WD Security, seamless integration with Time Machine and a 3-year limited warranty. Pricing for the 1TB, 2TB, 3TB and 4TB drives are $159.99, $189.99, $239.99 and $299.99 respectively. Western Digital says they'll continue to offer older USB 2.0 and FireWire 800 models, just in case you're still struggling along with a storage-starved relic from the past.
IRL: iPhoneTrip, PDP Afterglow headset and Western Digital's My Net Wi-Fi Range Extender
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. It's a mixed bag this week, with Zach trying out the SIM rental iPhoneTrip, Jason adding a budget gaming headset to his collection and Darren finding success with a Western Digital WiFi range extender. Turns out, it's thumbs up all around. Click through to see what we liked.
Western Digital bumps My Book Thunderbolt Duo to 8TB, consoles regular My Book buyers with 4TB
Many of us may have liked the prospect of Western Digital's My Book Thunderbolt Duo, but there's no doubt some of us who discovered that even 6TB just wouldn't cut it. If that digital pack rat mentality describes you, the solution is here: the company has taken advantage of larger 4TB hard disks to stuff a total 8TB of storage into the Duo's enclosure. The extra capacity hikes the price to $850, although the company notes that it's including the often expensive Thunderbolt cable to avoid any surprise trips to the store. Those without the ports or budget for the Duo can still reap some of the benefits through an updated, 4TB version of the regular My Book that hums along on USB 3.0 at a more reasonable $250 price. Either of the new drives should be lurking in stores if you're hurting for space as we write this.
HGST develops helium-filled, high-capacity hard drives: no, they won't float away
With certain exceptions, talk of advanced hard drive technology regularly has a tough time escaping research labs. Western Digital's HGST is promising a much more tangible project that could boost data capacities by a wide margin. By filling the gaps between drive platters with less buffeting-prone helium instead of air, HGST can safely fit as many as seven platters in a typical, 3.5-inch desktop hard drive instead of the current five. Going with the lower density gas creates a raft of side benefits, such as fitting more data on a single platter along with reducing the drag that both slows down and heats up the disk. We'll have to wait until 2013 to see shipping helium-filled drives in our PCs; given the slightly exotic nature of the technique, though, we wouldn't count on HGST or Western Digital handing out drives for free like balloons at a birthday party.
Western Digital brings wafer thin 5mm hard drives to IDF, we go hands-on (video)
We're a jaded bunch here at Engadget sometimes, and with most of us using SSD-based systems these days it's hard to get too excited about good old spinny disks. Still we're also suckers for impressive technology, so our interest was piqued when Western Digital announced its 5mm thin 2.5-inch hard drives the other day. Luckily, the company saw fit to bring samples of its skinny new WD Black hybrid drive and WD Blue HDD to IDF 2012 and let us handle both briefly. The verdict? These are impossibly thin -- perfect for all those nice Ultrabooks we're expecting to see hit the market in the next few months. Details on performance, availability and pricing are scarce since these drives are intended for OEMs. Take a look at our gallery below, which includes thickness comparisons with WD's upcoming 1TB 7mm thin HDD and a standard-sized loyalty card -- then peek past the break for our hands-on video.%Gallery-165180% Update: yes, the loyalty card was demagnetized in the making of this video, and you now owe us all coffee.
Western Digital builds 5mm-thick hybrid hard drive, Ultrabook makers sign on early
Those 7mm-thick hard drives you've seen in some Ultrabooks are already looking a tad on the chunky side. Western Digital has started producing sample versions of a hybrid hard drive (you're not yet looking at it here) that measures just 5mm (0.2in) tall, even as it crams in both flash and a 500GB main disk. If you think the slimmer drive is just the ticket for a best-of-all-worlds laptop that's both fast and capacious, you're not alone: Acer and ASUS have mentioned their collaboration in the same breath, which may be a strong clue as to where future Aspires and Zenbooks are going. The remaining question is when they arrive. Sampling isn't the same as mass production, which could leave us with months to go before the 5mm drive lands in future extra-skinny PCs.
Western Digital outs My Passport Edge portable hard drives, offers both PC and Mac varieties
New portable storage options from Western Digital are breaking cover once again. This time around, the outfit has announced the My Passport Edge and My Passport Edge for Mac. These external hard drives tout USB 3.0 connectivity and 500GB capacities for packing those work files or carrying that Springsteen collection with you at all times. As the name of the Apple-labeled option suggests, it's well suited for your MacBook and works alongside Time Machine right out of the box -- all from the comforts of an aluminum shell. The premium exterior and Mac-friendly tech will cost you a bit more, though, as this version is priced at $119 while the regular offering will set you back $109. If you're looking to save a few bones and don't mind a plastic housing, you can take solace in the fact that the PC unit features an automatic backup function thanks to WD's SmartWare. The pair is available now, but if you're looking for a bit more info, consult the full PR below. %Gallery-164494%
